US20160187383A1 - Talking Test Light - Google Patents
Talking Test Light Download PDFInfo
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- US20160187383A1 US20160187383A1 US14/979,163 US201514979163A US2016187383A1 US 20160187383 A1 US20160187383 A1 US 20160187383A1 US 201514979163 A US201514979163 A US 201514979163A US 2016187383 A1 US2016187383 A1 US 2016187383A1
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- control circuit
- probe
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- 239000000523 sample Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 78
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 67
- 230000004913 activation Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 12
- 230000005236 sound signal Effects 0.000 claims description 11
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000012780 transparent material Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000004075 alteration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000881 depressing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012777 electrically insulating material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000006870 function Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001737 promoting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000013589 supplement Substances 0.000 description 1
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R1/00—Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00
- G01R1/02—General constructional details
- G01R1/06—Measuring leads; Measuring probes
- G01R1/067—Measuring probes
- G01R1/06788—Hand-held or hand-manipulated probes, e.g. for oscilloscopes or for portable test instruments
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- G01R31/026—
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
- G01R31/50—Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
- G01R31/50—Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections
- G01R31/54—Testing for continuity
Definitions
- This disclosure relates generally to diagnostic tools for electrical circuits, and, more particularly, to hand held continuity and polarity test devices.
- Meters for making electrical measurements by contacting points to be measured with measurement probes are well-known.
- An example of such a known meter is a digital multimeter.
- these meters indicate the measured value on either an analog or a digital visual display while the measurement probes are in contact with the points to be measured. The user is therefore required to view the display to read the measured value while maintaining the measurement probes in contact with the points to be measured, which can be difficult in some cases.
- Pen type probes generally include one or more contact leads that are attached to various locations of an electrical circuit or ground, and a probe that is easily manipulated with a single hand of a user to contact a measurement point.
- a light such as an LED, or a buzzer indicates one or more characteristics of the measurement point.
- FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a known probe device with a digital display; item EECT400, available from Snap-On USA, which includes an LCD that displays a measurement voltage, and green and red LEDs that respectively indicate operative ground and power connections.
- EECT400 available from Snap-On USA
- FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a known probe device with a digital display; item EECT400, available from Snap-On USA, which includes an LCD that displays a measurement voltage, and green and red LEDs that respectively indicate operative ground and power connections.
- EECT400 available from Snap-On USA
- testing a measurement point requires moving the probe to a position that results in the portion having the LEDs and/or voltage display being obstructed or not visible to the user.
- the voice synthesizer converts a measurement into a voice signal.
- the meter is not optimized for the testing of high-density electronic circuits.
- the body of the meter can prevent the probe from reaching a measurement point.
- circuit testing device that can output detailed information about a measurement point without requiring a separate meter body, so as to enable a user manipulate the device with a single hand.
- a circuit tester In order to facilitate testing electric circuits when the user's view may be obstructed, or when both of the user's hands are not free to manipulate a tool, a circuit tester according to this disclosure includes a probe and a contact end connected via a wire.
- the contact end includes a ground contact plug configured to electrically connect with a ground, and a power source plug configured to electrically connect with a power source of an electric circuit.
- the probe includes a hollow body, a control circuit, a probe member, and a speaker. The contact end is electrically connected to the control circuit via the wire.
- the control circuit is at least partially disposed in the hollow body.
- the probe member is operatively mounted on the hollow body and configured to contact a probe location of the electric circuit to be measured and electrically connect the probe location with the control circuit to produce a measurement.
- the speaker is at least partially disposed in the hollow body, and is electrically connected to the control circuit.
- the control circuit is configured to generate a voice signal with reference to the measurement of the probe, the ground, and the power source, and is further configured to output the voice signal to the speaker.
- the speaker is configured to generate a voice output with reference to the voice signal indicative of the measurement.
- the probe further includes a first switch operatively connected to the control circuit and configured to generate an activation signal.
- the control circuit is further configured to generate the voice signal responsive to receiving the activation signal.
- the first switch is disposed on a side of the hollow body.
- the probe further includes a computer readable memory that is operatively connected to the control circuit, and that includes voice data corresponding to at least one voice.
- the control circuit includes an onboard computer-readable memory that includes voice data corresponding to at least one voice. The control circuit is further configured to generate the voice signal with reference to the at least one voice.
- the probe further includes a second switch
- the computer readable memory includes voice data corresponding to a plurality of different voices.
- the second switch is operatively connected to the control circuit, and is selectably operable to generate a voice selection signal corresponding to one of the plurality of voices of the computer readable memory.
- the control circuit is further configured to generate the voice signal with reference to the one of the plurality of voices in the computer readable memory selected via the second switch.
- the second switch is disposed on an end of the hollow body facing the wire.
- the second switch defines a shape contiguous with the hollow body, and is embodied as a twistable knob.
- the first switch and the computer readable memory are integral with each other to form a cartridge, and the hollow body is configured to removable receive the cartridge.
- the probe further includes a microphone.
- the microphone is electrically connected to the control circuit, and is configured to capture audio signals and transmit the audio signals to the control circuit.
- the control circuit is further configured to isolate a voice command of a user from the audio signals, and generate the voice signal in response to the voice command.
- the probe further includes an indicator electrically connected to the control circuit and configured to generate an output indication indicative of the measurement.
- the hollow body is formed, at least in part, from a substantially transparent material, and the indicator is disposed within the hollow body so as to be visible by a user through the substantially transparent material.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective image of a known circuit tester probe device.
- FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic views of different exemplary embodiments of a circuit tester according to this disclosure.
- FIG. 4 is a top view image of a circuit tester according to this disclosure.
- FIG. 5 is a detail view image of the probe of the circuit tester illustrated in FIG. 4 .
- FIG. 2 depicts a schematic of an exemplary embodiment of a circuit tester 100 according to this disclosure that is configured to output a measurement to a user via a voice signal, a sound signal, or the like.
- the circuit tester 100 includes a probe 102 , and a contact end 104 electrically connected to the probe 102 via a wire 106 .
- the contact end 104 includes a ground contact plug 108 and a power contact plug 110 .
- the ground contact plug 108 is configured to connect with a ground of an electric circuit
- the power contact plug 110 is configured to connect with a power source of the electric circuit.
- the contact end 104 includes different numbers and types of contacts configured to connect with different portions of the electrical circuit.
- the probe 102 includes a measurement member 112 , and a handle portion 114 that has a control circuit 116 , an indicator 118 , a speaker 120 , and a switch 122 .
- the handle portion 114 preferably includes an electrically insulating material to enable the user to grip the handle portion 114 without being exposed to an electrical current or voltage.
- the handle portion 114 is generally hollow, such that the control circuit 116 is housed therein.
- the indicator 118 and speaker 120 is also housed at least partially within the handle portion 114
- the switch 122 is mounted on an exterior of the handle portion 114 .
- the handle portion 114 is configured to expose an output of at least one of the indicator 118 and the speaker 120 to an exterior of the handle portion 114 .
- the handle portion 114 is at least partially transparent such that at least a portion of the indicator 118 mounted within the handle portion 114 is visible to a user.
- the handle portion 114 defines an opening configured to expose a portion of the interior of the handle portion 114 so that the indicator 118 is visible to a user therethrough.
- the material of the handle portion 114 is configured to enable sound from the speaker 120 to be transmitted therethrough.
- the indicator 118 and/or the speaker 120 are mounted on an exterior of the handle portion 114 .
- the switch 122 is a button configured to be activated by being pressed by a user, but other types of switches are also contemplated.
- the switch 122 is electrically connected to the control circuit 116 and is configured to generate an activation signal.
- the switch 122 includes a microphone that is configured to generate the activation signal in response to a user's voice command.
- speech of the user is captured via the microphone of the switch 122 , whereby the switch 122 generates the activation signal in response to capturing the user's speech.
- the switch 122 is configured to determine whether the speech captured by the microphone comes from a particular user, or includes a particular phrase.
- the switch can be configured to generate an activation signal upon capturing the phrase “check voltage” or other acceptable phrases.
- the switch 122 is configured to transmit an electrical signal indicative of audio captured via the microphone
- the control circuit 116 is configured to isolate spoken phrases from the captured audio and determine whether the captured audio includes the particular phrase or is from the particular user.
- the microphone is included with other elements of the circuit tester 100 , such as the handle portion 114 or control circuit 116 , and is included instead of or in addition to the switch 122 .
- the measurement member 112 is a linear member mounted on an end of the probe 102 , and is configured to connect with a measurement point of an electric circuit that is desirably measured, and is configured to be electrically connected with the control circuit 116 .
- the measurement member 112 can be mounted in the handle portion 114 via a spring (not shown).
- the spring is configured to act on the measurement member 112 with a biasing force that acts to move the measurement member 112 to a positon whereat the measurement member 12 is electrically isolated from the control circuit 116 . Once the bias force is overcome, such as via a user depressing the measurement probe 112 onto a measurement point of a circuit, the measurement member 112 moves into electrical contact with the control circuit 116 .
- the measurement member 112 can include, for example, a non-conductive body and a conductive tip and internal core. Other types of acceptable measurement members are also contemplated. At least a portion of the measurement member 112 includes a conductive material such as a metal.
- the control circuit 116 is also electrically connected with the ground contact plug 108 and power contact plug 110 of the contact end 104 via the wire 106 , and is configured to determine a measurement of the measurement point with reference to currents and/or voltages transmitted from the ground by the ground contact plug 108 , from the power source by the power contact plug 110 , and from the measurement point by the measurement member 112 , and generate an electrical signal indicative of the determined measurement.
- the control circuit 116 includes a voltmeter, a multimeter, or other acceptable electrical measurement circuits.
- the indicator 118 is electrically connected with the control circuit 116 , and is configured to receive the electrical signal indicative of the determined measurement and output an indication of the determined measurement.
- the indicator 118 can include different indication components that enable the indicator 118 to output information describing the determined measurement of the measurement point.
- the indicator 118 includes a first colored LED indicative of a powered condition of the measurement point, a second colored LED indicative of a ground condition of the measurement point, and a third LED indicative of an open circuit condition of the measurement point. Other numbers of LEDs and LEDs indicative of other types of information are also contemplated.
- the indicator 118 includes an LCD display configured to digitally display information with reference to the determined measurement.
- the indicator 118 includes a buzzer configured to buzz in order to indicate, for example, a powered condition or another condition of the measurement point.
- the speaker 120 is electrically connected to the control circuit 116 and is configured to generate a voice output with reference to a voice signal.
- the control circuit 116 When the control circuit 116 is activated, the control circuit 116 is configured to generate the voice signal with reference to the determined measurement, and transmit the voice signal to the speaker 120 .
- the voice output generated by the speaker 120 includes spoken language audio indicative of the determined measurement.
- the voice output includes a voice speaking the phrase “12.2 volts”, “Ground detected”, “Open Circuit detected”, etc.
- the control circuit 116 further includes a voice synthesizer and/or voice sample data to enable generation of the voice signal.
- the features described above enable a user to connect the contact end 104 to the electric circuit, and manipulate the probe 102 in an unobstructed manner with a single hand to investigate a measurement point of the electric circuit.
- the switch 122 can be activated using the same hand of the user that is manipulating the probe 102 , or via the user's voice, freeing the other hand of the user to, for example, hold or manipulate other equipment, support the user, or other activities.
- FIG. 3 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a circuit tester 200 that is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2 , but further includes a second switch 202 , and a memory 204 .
- a circuit tester includes the second switch and not the memory, or vice versa.
- the second switch 202 as illustrated in this embodiment is embodied as a twistable portion of the handle portion 114 .
- a user can activate the second switch 202 by twisting the second switch 202 or handle portion 114 relative to each other.
- Other types of switches are also contemplated, including buttons, toggles, and dials.
- the second switch 202 is electrically connected to the control circuit 116 and is configured to generate a voice selection signal.
- the voice output generated by the speaker 120 can be selectively configured to resemble a voice of different people.
- the voice output can be configured to resemble a voice of a person of a particular gender, ethnicity, accent, or a voice of a specific individual such as a person with a well-known voice.
- the control circuit 116 is further configured to select a voice to be generated by the speaker 120 that resembles a particular voice from amongst a plurality of different voices with reference to the voice selection signal.
- control circuit 116 is further configured to cause the speaker 120 to generate a male voice when the second switch 202 is in a first position and a female voice when the second switch 202 is in a second position.
- the second switch 202 can include other numbers of positions corresponding to other voice options. These features enable a user to select a desired voice for the voice output generated by the speaker 120 .
- Voice data corresponding to different voices can be stored, for example, in a computer readable memory 204 .
- the memory 204 is separate from and electrically connected to the control circuit 116 , and is also electrically connected to the speaker 120 .
- the memory 204 is embodied as a removable cartridge whereby a user can select a different voice or voices by inserted a cartridge that includes corresponding voice data.
- the cartridge can be, for example, a non-volatile memory card such as an SD-card, and the handle portion 114 can define a slot for inserting and removing the memory cartridge.
- the switch 122 rather than being positioned on an exterior of the handle portion 114 , is integrally formed with the cartridge of memory 204 , such that when no cartridge of memory 204 is installed in the handle portion 114 , the handle portion 114 does not include the switch 122 . In other embodiments, the switch 122 is formed separately from the memory 204 .
- control circuit 116 includes an onboard memory that includes voice data.
- the control circuit 116 can thus enable operation of the circuit tester 200 when no cartridge is present, or can supplement the voice data in the memory 204 .
- the control circuit 116 can include voice data corresponding to at least one default voice, whereby additional voices are enabled through installation of the memory 204 .
- the second switch 202 is integrally formed with the cartridge.
- control circuit 116 memory 204 , indicator 118 , speaker 120 , switch 122 , and second switch 202 , have been described above as separate components, in other embodiments, one or more of these components can be combined into a single component, or a single component can be distributed amongst multiple components. Further, not all of the components may be necessary.
- the probe does not include an indicator, and is only configured to output measurements via the voice output.
- the different components are assembled on a circuit board.
- the control circuit 116 includes a processor and/or an integrated logic circuit. In one embodiment, at least one of the components is a printed circuit or device.
- FIG. 4 illustrates an image of an exemplary circuit tester according to this disclosure
- FIG. 5 illustrates a detail image of the probe unit of the circuit tester of FIG. 4 .
- a probe for a circuit tester includes a control circuit configured to generate a voice signal with reference to a measurement of the probe, and a speaker that is electrically connected to the control circuit and that is configured to generate a voice output with reference to the voice signal.
- the control circuit is configured to generate the voice signal in response to an activation signal generated by a switch when the switch is activated.
- a microphone is configured to capture audio signals
- the control circuit is configured to generate the voice signal in response to a voice command of the user.
- the probe further includes an indicator configured to generate an output indication indicative of the measurement.
- the indicator includes at least one of an LED indicative of a power condition, an LED indicative of a ground condition, an LED indicative of an open circuit condition, an LCD display configured to display digital or text data corresponding to the measurement, and a buzzer.
- the control circuit and/or the speaker are configured to cause a voice of the voice output to resemble at least one voice of a person.
- the control circuit and/or the speaker are configured to selectively cause a voice of the voice output to resemble different voices of different persons.
- the probe further includes a second switch that is electrically connected to the control circuit and that is configured to generate a voice selection signal, and the control circuit is configured to selectively cause the voice output to resemble a particular voice with reference to the voice selection signal.
- the probe further includes a memory that has voice data corresponding to at least one voice.
- the memory is embodied as a removable cartridge. At least one of the switch and the second switch is formed integrally with the cartridge.
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Abstract
Description
- This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/097,249 filed on Dec. 29, 2014, entitled “TALKING TEST LIGHT,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
- This disclosure relates generally to diagnostic tools for electrical circuits, and, more particularly, to hand held continuity and polarity test devices.
- Meters for making electrical measurements by contacting points to be measured with measurement probes are well-known. An example of such a known meter is a digital multimeter. Conventionally these meters indicate the measured value on either an analog or a digital visual display while the measurement probes are in contact with the points to be measured. The user is therefore required to view the display to read the measured value while maintaining the measurement probes in contact with the points to be measured, which can be difficult in some cases.
- This difficulty can be exacerbated by the size and/or arrangement of circuit components and surrounding materials. For example, in recent years, the electronics industry has tended toward high-density electronic circuits. In such circuits the electrical parts and connections are physically mounted close together to reduce the overall size of the circuit. These high density circuits often require electrical testing by measuring the voltages, currents or resistances of various points in the circuit with a meter to verify proper operation. The physically small size of the parts requires test personnel to accurately manipulate the meter's measurement probes to make contact with portions of the circuit. This manipulation is often difficult even if the operator has a clear and unobstructed view of the meter probes and the measurement point at the time when contact is made.
- U.S. Pat. No. 6,433,530, issued on Aug. 13, 2002 describes a hand held, i.e. pen type circuit and polarity tester, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in a reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies herein and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply. Pen type probes generally include one or more contact leads that are attached to various locations of an electrical circuit or ground, and a probe that is easily manipulated with a single hand of a user to contact a measurement point. A light, such as an LED, or a buzzer indicates one or more characteristics of the measurement point.
- In some applications, it is desirable for the probe to indicate more detailed information about the measurement point.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a known probe device with a digital display; item EECT400, available from Snap-On USA, which includes an LCD that displays a measurement voltage, and green and red LEDs that respectively indicate operative ground and power connections. However, in many cases, testing a measurement point requires moving the probe to a position that results in the portion having the LEDs and/or voltage display being obstructed or not visible to the user. - U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,226, issued Sep. 5, 1989, describes a multimeter that includes a meter which includes a voice synthesizer, and a measurement probe that includes a voice output switch. When a user presses the voice output switch, the voice synthesizer converts a measurement into a voice signal. This enables a user to manipulate the probe with one hand and use the voice output button to take measurements when the probe or meter is out of view. However, the meter is not optimized for the testing of high-density electronic circuits. In an example, the body of the meter can prevent the probe from reaching a measurement point. In another example, there may not be a surface available upon which to rest the meter, requiring a second hand of the user.
- Therefore, what is needed is a circuit testing device that can output detailed information about a measurement point without requiring a separate meter body, so as to enable a user manipulate the device with a single hand.
- In order to facilitate testing electric circuits when the user's view may be obstructed, or when both of the user's hands are not free to manipulate a tool, a circuit tester according to this disclosure includes a probe and a contact end connected via a wire. The contact end includes a ground contact plug configured to electrically connect with a ground, and a power source plug configured to electrically connect with a power source of an electric circuit. The probe includes a hollow body, a control circuit, a probe member, and a speaker. The contact end is electrically connected to the control circuit via the wire. The control circuit is at least partially disposed in the hollow body. The probe member is operatively mounted on the hollow body and configured to contact a probe location of the electric circuit to be measured and electrically connect the probe location with the control circuit to produce a measurement. The speaker is at least partially disposed in the hollow body, and is electrically connected to the control circuit.
- The control circuit is configured to generate a voice signal with reference to the measurement of the probe, the ground, and the power source, and is further configured to output the voice signal to the speaker. The speaker is configured to generate a voice output with reference to the voice signal indicative of the measurement.
- In an embodiment, the probe further includes a first switch operatively connected to the control circuit and configured to generate an activation signal. The control circuit is further configured to generate the voice signal responsive to receiving the activation signal. In one embodiment, the first switch is disposed on a side of the hollow body.
- In another embodiment, the probe further includes a computer readable memory that is operatively connected to the control circuit, and that includes voice data corresponding to at least one voice. In a further embodiment, the control circuit includes an onboard computer-readable memory that includes voice data corresponding to at least one voice. The control circuit is further configured to generate the voice signal with reference to the at least one voice.
- In an embodiment, the probe further includes a second switch, and the computer readable memory includes voice data corresponding to a plurality of different voices. The second switch is operatively connected to the control circuit, and is selectably operable to generate a voice selection signal corresponding to one of the plurality of voices of the computer readable memory. The control circuit is further configured to generate the voice signal with reference to the one of the plurality of voices in the computer readable memory selected via the second switch.
- In one embodiment, the second switch is disposed on an end of the hollow body facing the wire. In an embodiment, the second switch defines a shape contiguous with the hollow body, and is embodied as a twistable knob.
- In another embodiment, the first switch and the computer readable memory are integral with each other to form a cartridge, and the hollow body is configured to removable receive the cartridge.
- In a further embodiment, the probe further includes a microphone. The microphone is electrically connected to the control circuit, and is configured to capture audio signals and transmit the audio signals to the control circuit. The control circuit is further configured to isolate a voice command of a user from the audio signals, and generate the voice signal in response to the voice command.
- In an embodiment, the probe further includes an indicator electrically connected to the control circuit and configured to generate an output indication indicative of the measurement. In one embodiment, the hollow body is formed, at least in part, from a substantially transparent material, and the indicator is disposed within the hollow body so as to be visible by a user through the substantially transparent material.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective image of a known circuit tester probe device. -
FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic views of different exemplary embodiments of a circuit tester according to this disclosure. -
FIG. 4 is a top view image of a circuit tester according to this disclosure. -
FIG. 5 is a detail view image of the probe of the circuit tester illustrated inFIG. 4 . - For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the embodiments described herein, reference is now made to the drawings and descriptions in the following written specification. No limitation to the scope of the subject matter is intended by the references. This disclosure also includes any alterations and modifications to the illustrated embodiments and includes further applications of the principles of the described embodiments as would normally occur to one skilled of ordinary skill in the art to which this document pertains.
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FIG. 2 depicts a schematic of an exemplary embodiment of acircuit tester 100 according to this disclosure that is configured to output a measurement to a user via a voice signal, a sound signal, or the like. Thecircuit tester 100 includes aprobe 102, and acontact end 104 electrically connected to theprobe 102 via awire 106. - In this embodiment, the
contact end 104 includes aground contact plug 108 and apower contact plug 110. Theground contact plug 108 is configured to connect with a ground of an electric circuit, and thepower contact plug 110 is configured to connect with a power source of the electric circuit. In other embodiments, thecontact end 104 includes different numbers and types of contacts configured to connect with different portions of the electrical circuit. - The
probe 102 includes ameasurement member 112, and ahandle portion 114 that has acontrol circuit 116, anindicator 118, aspeaker 120, and aswitch 122. Thehandle portion 114 preferably includes an electrically insulating material to enable the user to grip thehandle portion 114 without being exposed to an electrical current or voltage. Thehandle portion 114 is generally hollow, such that thecontrol circuit 116 is housed therein. In this embodiment, theindicator 118 andspeaker 120 is also housed at least partially within thehandle portion 114, and theswitch 122 is mounted on an exterior of thehandle portion 114. - The
handle portion 114 is configured to expose an output of at least one of theindicator 118 and thespeaker 120 to an exterior of thehandle portion 114. In one embodiment, thehandle portion 114 is at least partially transparent such that at least a portion of theindicator 118 mounted within thehandle portion 114 is visible to a user. In another embodiment, thehandle portion 114 defines an opening configured to expose a portion of the interior of thehandle portion 114 so that theindicator 118 is visible to a user therethrough. In a further embodiment, the material of thehandle portion 114 is configured to enable sound from thespeaker 120 to be transmitted therethrough. In other embodiments, theindicator 118 and/or thespeaker 120 are mounted on an exterior of thehandle portion 114. - In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 2 , theswitch 122 is a button configured to be activated by being pressed by a user, but other types of switches are also contemplated. Theswitch 122 is electrically connected to thecontrol circuit 116 and is configured to generate an activation signal. In another embodiment, theswitch 122 includes a microphone that is configured to generate the activation signal in response to a user's voice command. In an example, speech of the user is captured via the microphone of theswitch 122, whereby theswitch 122 generates the activation signal in response to capturing the user's speech. In one embodiment, theswitch 122 is configured to determine whether the speech captured by the microphone comes from a particular user, or includes a particular phrase. For example, the switch can be configured to generate an activation signal upon capturing the phrase “check voltage” or other acceptable phrases. In one embodiment, theswitch 122 is configured to transmit an electrical signal indicative of audio captured via the microphone, and thecontrol circuit 116 is configured to isolate spoken phrases from the captured audio and determine whether the captured audio includes the particular phrase or is from the particular user. In other embodiments the microphone is included with other elements of thecircuit tester 100, such as thehandle portion 114 orcontrol circuit 116, and is included instead of or in addition to theswitch 122. - The
measurement member 112 is a linear member mounted on an end of theprobe 102, and is configured to connect with a measurement point of an electric circuit that is desirably measured, and is configured to be electrically connected with thecontrol circuit 116. In an example, themeasurement member 112 can be mounted in thehandle portion 114 via a spring (not shown). The spring is configured to act on themeasurement member 112 with a biasing force that acts to move themeasurement member 112 to a positon whereat the measurement member 12 is electrically isolated from thecontrol circuit 116. Once the bias force is overcome, such as via a user depressing themeasurement probe 112 onto a measurement point of a circuit, themeasurement member 112 moves into electrical contact with thecontrol circuit 116. - The
measurement member 112 can include, for example, a non-conductive body and a conductive tip and internal core. Other types of acceptable measurement members are also contemplated. At least a portion of themeasurement member 112 includes a conductive material such as a metal. - The
control circuit 116 is also electrically connected with theground contact plug 108 andpower contact plug 110 of thecontact end 104 via thewire 106, and is configured to determine a measurement of the measurement point with reference to currents and/or voltages transmitted from the ground by theground contact plug 108, from the power source by thepower contact plug 110, and from the measurement point by themeasurement member 112, and generate an electrical signal indicative of the determined measurement. In one embodiment, thecontrol circuit 116 includes a voltmeter, a multimeter, or other acceptable electrical measurement circuits. - The
indicator 118 is electrically connected with thecontrol circuit 116, and is configured to receive the electrical signal indicative of the determined measurement and output an indication of the determined measurement. In various embodiments, theindicator 118 can include different indication components that enable theindicator 118 to output information describing the determined measurement of the measurement point. In one embodiment, theindicator 118 includes a first colored LED indicative of a powered condition of the measurement point, a second colored LED indicative of a ground condition of the measurement point, and a third LED indicative of an open circuit condition of the measurement point. Other numbers of LEDs and LEDs indicative of other types of information are also contemplated. In one embodiment, theindicator 118 includes an LCD display configured to digitally display information with reference to the determined measurement. In one embodiment, theindicator 118 includes a buzzer configured to buzz in order to indicate, for example, a powered condition or another condition of the measurement point. - The
speaker 120 is electrically connected to thecontrol circuit 116 and is configured to generate a voice output with reference to a voice signal. When thecontrol circuit 116 is activated, thecontrol circuit 116 is configured to generate the voice signal with reference to the determined measurement, and transmit the voice signal to thespeaker 120. The voice output generated by thespeaker 120 includes spoken language audio indicative of the determined measurement. In an example, the voice output includes a voice speaking the phrase “12.2 volts”, “Ground detected”, “Open Circuit detected”, etc. In this embodiment, thecontrol circuit 116 further includes a voice synthesizer and/or voice sample data to enable generation of the voice signal. - The features described above enable a user to connect the
contact end 104 to the electric circuit, and manipulate theprobe 102 in an unobstructed manner with a single hand to investigate a measurement point of the electric circuit. Theswitch 122 can be activated using the same hand of the user that is manipulating theprobe 102, or via the user's voice, freeing the other hand of the user to, for example, hold or manipulate other equipment, support the user, or other activities. -
FIG. 3 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of acircuit tester 200 that is similar to the embodiment ofFIG. 2 , but further includes asecond switch 202, and amemory 204. In other embodiments, a circuit tester includes the second switch and not the memory, or vice versa. Thesecond switch 202 as illustrated in this embodiment is embodied as a twistable portion of thehandle portion 114. In an example, a user can activate thesecond switch 202 by twisting thesecond switch 202 or handleportion 114 relative to each other. Other types of switches are also contemplated, including buttons, toggles, and dials. Thesecond switch 202 is electrically connected to thecontrol circuit 116 and is configured to generate a voice selection signal. - The voice output generated by the
speaker 120 can be selectively configured to resemble a voice of different people. For example, the voice output can be configured to resemble a voice of a person of a particular gender, ethnicity, accent, or a voice of a specific individual such as a person with a well-known voice. In this embodiment, thecontrol circuit 116 is further configured to select a voice to be generated by thespeaker 120 that resembles a particular voice from amongst a plurality of different voices with reference to the voice selection signal. - In one embodiment, the
control circuit 116 is further configured to cause thespeaker 120 to generate a male voice when thesecond switch 202 is in a first position and a female voice when thesecond switch 202 is in a second position. It should be understood that thesecond switch 202 can include other numbers of positions corresponding to other voice options. These features enable a user to select a desired voice for the voice output generated by thespeaker 120. - Voice data corresponding to different voices can be stored, for example, in a computer
readable memory 204. In this embodiment, thememory 204 is separate from and electrically connected to thecontrol circuit 116, and is also electrically connected to thespeaker 120. In one embodiment, thememory 204 is embodied as a removable cartridge whereby a user can select a different voice or voices by inserted a cartridge that includes corresponding voice data. The cartridge can be, for example, a non-volatile memory card such as an SD-card, and thehandle portion 114 can define a slot for inserting and removing the memory cartridge. - In this embodiment, the
switch 122, rather than being positioned on an exterior of thehandle portion 114, is integrally formed with the cartridge ofmemory 204, such that when no cartridge ofmemory 204 is installed in thehandle portion 114, thehandle portion 114 does not include theswitch 122. In other embodiments, theswitch 122 is formed separately from thememory 204. - In another embodiment, the
control circuit 116 includes an onboard memory that includes voice data. Thecontrol circuit 116 can thus enable operation of thecircuit tester 200 when no cartridge is present, or can supplement the voice data in thememory 204. For example, thecontrol circuit 116 can include voice data corresponding to at least one default voice, whereby additional voices are enabled through installation of thememory 204. In another embodiment, thesecond switch 202 is integrally formed with the cartridge. - It should be understood that while the
control circuit 116,memory 204,indicator 118,speaker 120,switch 122, andsecond switch 202, have been described above as separate components, in other embodiments, one or more of these components can be combined into a single component, or a single component can be distributed amongst multiple components. Further, not all of the components may be necessary. In one embodiment, the probe does not include an indicator, and is only configured to output measurements via the voice output. In one embodiment, the different components are assembled on a circuit board. In one embodiment, thecontrol circuit 116 includes a processor and/or an integrated logic circuit. In one embodiment, at least one of the components is a printed circuit or device. -
FIG. 4 illustrates an image of an exemplary circuit tester according to this disclosure, andFIG. 5 illustrates a detail image of the probe unit of the circuit tester ofFIG. 4 . - Additional embodiments include:
- A probe for a circuit tester includes a control circuit configured to generate a voice signal with reference to a measurement of the probe, and a speaker that is electrically connected to the control circuit and that is configured to generate a voice output with reference to the voice signal.
- The control circuit is configured to generate the voice signal in response to an activation signal generated by a switch when the switch is activated.
- A microphone is configured to capture audio signals, and the control circuit is configured to generate the voice signal in response to a voice command of the user.
- The probe further includes an indicator configured to generate an output indication indicative of the measurement. The indicator includes at least one of an LED indicative of a power condition, an LED indicative of a ground condition, an LED indicative of an open circuit condition, an LCD display configured to display digital or text data corresponding to the measurement, and a buzzer.
- The control circuit and/or the speaker are configured to cause a voice of the voice output to resemble at least one voice of a person.
- The control circuit and/or the speaker are configured to selectively cause a voice of the voice output to resemble different voices of different persons. The probe further includes a second switch that is electrically connected to the control circuit and that is configured to generate a voice selection signal, and the control circuit is configured to selectively cause the voice output to resemble a particular voice with reference to the voice selection signal.
- The probe further includes a memory that has voice data corresponding to at least one voice. The memory is embodied as a removable cartridge. At least one of the switch and the second switch is formed integrally with the cartridge.
- It will be appreciated that variants of the above-described and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems, applications or methods. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art that are also intended to be encompassed by the disclosure.
Claims (19)
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US14/979,163 US10107836B2 (en) | 2014-12-29 | 2015-12-22 | Talking test light |
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US201462097249P | 2014-12-29 | 2014-12-29 | |
US14/979,163 US10107836B2 (en) | 2014-12-29 | 2015-12-22 | Talking test light |
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US20160187383A1 true US20160187383A1 (en) | 2016-06-30 |
US10107836B2 US10107836B2 (en) | 2018-10-23 |
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